Haze in Wyoming Caused By Fires in Idaho and Washington

People from all around the Cowboy State have noticed a bit of a smoky haze today. That smoke isn’t coming from nearby fires, though, but rather from large and destructive forest fires in Idaho and Washington, according to DayWeather Meteorologist Mark Heuer.

“We’ve got a large ridge of high pressure here across the west. Even though we’re seeing west to southwest winds in some instances here at the surface, the smoke is flowing up and over this ridge of high pressure and down into the Cowboy State,” says Heuer.

Heuer says the haze isn’t isolated to Wyoming, but is truly settling throughout the region.

“It’s all across central and eastern Montana—here in Wyoming. It’s in northern Colorado,” says Heuer. “The further south you get it’s more from fires in the California area, but our smoke and haze is from those fires burning in Idaho and Washington.”

Heuer says that there is some good news coming for the fires in the Northwest. A trough of low pressure and a cold front moving on to the Seattle/Portland area. Heuer says that will cut eastward and bring lower temperatures, higher humidity and some moisture to the fire areas—good news for fire fighting efforts.

In Wyoming, that means the haze will begin to disappear late today and early tomorrow.